Improvement in harness



W. H. B. DIEM L.

Harness Patented Oct. 11, |875.

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Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,625, dated October 11, 1875; application tiled July 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. B. DIEHL, ofRichland Centre, in the county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Harness for Horses, of which the following is a specilcation:

rlhe reins required in riding or driving a horse are generally connected with a martingalc at a variable point between the bridlebit and the breast of the animal, for the purpose of preventing the latter from throwing his head unduly upward; and as the connection is required to be not less than three or four inches from the bit, a broad piece of thick leathervhas heretofore been secured to each rein, for the purpose of perventing the ring of the martingale from slipping forward beyond the specied limit, when the rein is drawn upon by the rider or driver; but this thick piece of attached leather is very objectionable for several reasons, among which may be mentioned, that if made wide enough to prevent the martingale-ring from slipping over it into contact with the bridle-bit, it will have a clumsy and heavy appearance, and if made of thin leather it will not prevent the said ring from slipping over it when the rein lis drawn upon by the rider` or driver, and in either case it requires a great deal of stitching to make it reasonably durable.

rIhe object ot' my invention is to avoid the above-mentioned objections, and to afford, in all respects, a better article, by the combination of a metallic buckle having a lateral projection at each of its two side edges with the rein and mart-ingale, as will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawing', in Which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved buckle; and Fig. 2, the same buckle reduced in size, and applied to the -rein and martin'- gale ofthe horse.

The buckle A is made of metal, has a square opening, a', of sufficient width to receive through it the width of the rein, and a swinging tongue, a, like an ordinary harnessbuckle, and a lateral projection, a, at each of its-two sides, and in the same plane with the under side of the main body or middle portion of the buckle, each projection a a being in length about equal to the width of the said middle' portion, substantially as represented by Fig. l.

The projections a" a!" may be each in the form of a straight bar, with a knob on its outer end, or of any other simple, plain form; but the open ornamental form shown in Fig. 1 is preferred, as it combines strength with lightness in weig'ht.

rEhe buckle A is secured to the rein B by means ofa short tug-strap, b, sewed fast to the rein, and the billet or en d of said rein eX- tends forward, passes through the bridle-bit ring C, and then returns and passes through the buckle A by entering the square opening a from the under side thereof, receives the end of the tongue a through the desired hole in the. billet, and nally enters the loop 4, substantially as represented by Fig. 2. The hand end ofthe rein B is passed through the martingale-ring D in the usual manner.

It will be understood without any further explanation that the buckle A, constructed and applied as set forth, will effectually prevent the martingale-ring d from slipping be-- yond it toward the bit-ring, when the rein B is drawn upon, however strongly, by the rider or driver; and that the said buckle will be less clumsy, or more sightly, than the leather stop heretofore used; and, moreover, it will be lighter in weight, more easily applied to the rein, and more durable.

I claim as my invention- The combination ofthe buckle A, provided with the lateral projections a" a", and attached to the rein, which is connected to the bit, as described, withthe ring D of the martingale, substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and described.

^ WILLIAM H. B. DIEHL.

Witnesses:

HENRY M. ERDMAN, HOWARD S. BAGHMAN. 

